


Come Closer

by phloridas



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: (or almost anyway), 2009 Phan, M/M, Slow Burn, happy phaniversary!!, here's to the next 8 years!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2019-01-19 07:04:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12405444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phloridas/pseuds/phloridas
Summary: It's the 19th of October, 2009.This is Phil's story.





	Come Closer

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been working on this fic since late July??? And honestly, I can't believe it's finally ready to go out into the world! If you follow me on Tumblr (@phloridas cheeky spon), you know I haven't been able to shut up about this all week as it’s entered its final stages. This fic has truly been my baby and I hope you'll love it just as much as I do! Happy 8 years, everyone!!!
> 
> Huge huge thanks to the wonderful @burgundyhowell and @insectbah for looking this over and just being lovely people in general! This fic wouldn't be where it is now without your awesome help so thank you!
> 
> Warning for mentions of alcohol

**New tweet from @danisnotonfire:** there are absolutely no good magazines in any of the whsmiths. ended up purchasing a kerrang because xbox magazine was shit. ON THE TRAIN :)

Those last three words did more for Phil than his morning coffee ever did.

It didn’t feel real.

Any second now, Phil expected a blazing sun to force his eyes open to see his usual messy room, phone still behind his glasses on his bedside table. He blinked hard but sure enough, Dan’s tweet remained, in all its black and white (and blue) glory.

It was enough to send his stomach into his throat.

To avoid turning into every cliche in the book, he switched over to his text messages, pulling up his miles-long thread with Dan.

Why was it now so much harder to draft up a witty response? It was like Dan was right there in his bed, staring at Phil’s open mouth and expecting him to say something.

 **Phil:** ~~Thank goodness you’re safe~~ ~~Fucking finally!~~ YES!! Keep a lookout for any weird people. ~~But don’t let anyone touch you~~ Maybe we could have matching video segments o.o

Not that he expected Dan’s videos to be carbon copies of AmazingPhil. Still, it might be nice to have something more connecting them in case the Q&A video didn’t work out.

Phil had only just thrown off his geometric duvet, eyes flicking to a judgmental Uma Thurman staring him down from the poster on his door, when his phone pinged again. It took a few seconds of fumbling beneath his sheets, but eventually he caught sight of Dan’s text. Would there ever be a time when seeing that name wouldn’t send sparks coursing through Phil’s body?

 **Dan:** nah i think u can stick with that mr. weirdo magnet. anyway my life is too boring to do vloggy segments like urs.

Phil blushed, wishing yet again that Dan was close enough for Phil to give him a good shake. He could spend hours listening to Dan ramble about his family and friends. Wokingham sounded a trillion times cooler than Rawtenstall.

It was a secret dream of Phil’s to get a Dan-led tour of his hometown, experiencing every place Dan had ever mentioned in a Skype call or text or Twitter DM for himself. Maybe they could even take his old dog for a cosy stroll.

 **Phil:** ~~On what planet?~~ So three hour train journeys to Manchester are an everyday occurrence for you then? ^-^

Phil knew Dan’s cynicism was as much a part of him as his own constantly whirring brain. That didn’t mean his self doubt didn’t send a stake through Phil’s heart.

 **Dan:** u don’t count you dolt. anyway the internet doesn’t need to know every detail of these 3 days. we should keep some things for ourselves don’t u think?

Phil almost tripped over his own feet en route to the door. Dan couldn’t be saying what Phil thought he was saying, was he?

Sure, they had discussed these plans for weeks now, always lining up in a way Phil knew just had to be too good to be true. No one ever cared as deeply for Phil as Phil did for them--how would Dan be any different?

Still, a pleasant lightness bounced around his stomach anyway.

 **Phil:** Orly? ~~What kinds of things?~~ Planning something special, Danny boy? :3

Phil squeezed his eyes shut as he pressed send, locking his phone before he dared blink them open again. This wasn’t the most forward he had been with Dan by any means, but it sure felt a lot more tangible now that he was _on his way here_.

His phone didn’t ding again until he was busy making a cup of coffee. Phil had to make a concentrated effort to steady his hands, scattering coffee grounds across the counter.

 **Dan:** now if i told u it wouldn’t be special would it?

(What the _fuck_ , Dan? Was he close enough to throttle yet?)

 **Phil:** ~~Fuck off Howell~~ ~~Um rude?~~ :( how long is that train ride again?

Phil had barely switched on the coffeemaker when Dan’s next reply came. It made his chest ache.

 **Dan:** too long

 **Phil:** ~~I knooowwww~~ Show me what you’re seeing then! Southern countryside must  be prettier than what we’ve got up here :)

Contrary to what Dan may think, Phil was doing this for himself. Maybe an influx of scenic photos coupled with his customary caffeine would hurry things up a bit.

Alright, it wasn’t likely, but it sure was worth a shot.

Just as he started filling his mug, a series of dings rang out from Phil’s phone that refused to stop for a solid minute. It took every bit of willpower not to slosh his coffee all over the counter.

Once Phil and mug (and cereal bowl) had made it safely to the table, his tiny phone screen had filled with sunny landscapes, backs of heads and vinyl train seats, and best of all, a picture of Dan that warmed Phil far more than the scalding liquid that had just jumped down his throat.

It took quite a while to tear his eyes away from that one--mainly due to the chorus of voices reminding him that the boy in the picture is coming _here_ , that Phil’s going to be seeing that face in _real life_ , he can finally squish those cheeks and muss up that hair and kiss those pink, pillowy lips…

_Phil. Stop getting ahead of yourself._

_He just broke up with his girlfriend. You don’t want to be a shitty rebound. Do you?_

(Except...he kind of _did_.)

(Was that really such a bad thing?)

It was a miracle that Phil finished breakfast at all, between his constant typing and the way his arms shook up to the elbow during the rare minutes when he set his phone down.

Finish he did, though, and before he had a firm grasp on the time, it was already half ten and he had to rush if he didn’t want to miss his bus to the city. Damn Dan and his never-ceasing texts. Would Phil have time to choose the perfect outfit? He checked his phone again.

Nope. Better go with the aqua and white plaid shirt hanging in front of his face. Well, his mum did say it brought out his eyes.

What about his bag? Was his wallet still in there? Should he bring a notebook or something to keep him busy on the off chance Dan’s train was late?

Imagine, after months of anticipation, something happened to delay their meeting even _more._ Phil shook his head like a dog in the rain.

No, he couldn’t fathom the thought.

Speaking of late, though, that was what Phil would be if he wasn’t out the door _right now_. Granted, he had given himself a buffer of walking time that would ideally keep him from resembling a shaking, sweaty rat.

You never could be sure, though.

With a leap down his porch steps and something like a dragon growing every second in his stomach, Phil started his way down the familiar route. Something was different this time, though.

No--the realisation hit him so hard he would have stopped in his tracks were it not for the powerwalk pushing him forward.

 _Everything_ was different.

The rare sun poking out from behind the clouds, for example, felt like a gentle pat from a friend, a reminder that _Hey, everything’s gonna be fine, it’ll all work out, Dan’s not going to hate you_. A gentle breeze tickling his exposed arms gave the impression of a fairy’s wings joining him on this journey.

He could hear Dan’s soft teasing, reminders that his hormones had simply produced a combination of pleasant feelings, that nothing was ever intentional, but Phil didn’t care. He quite liked the idea of Mother Nature putting on a show just for him, thank you very much.

Wasn’t it kind of stupid to put so much weight on a single day, though?

Phil was just meeting someone from the internet. This had been occurring more and more often these last couple years as his subscriber count grew. But then again, Dan wasn’t just “someone from the internet.”

Phil felt a connection with him, stronger than he had experienced with anyone before. It was a buzzing through his veins, a jerk behind his navel whenever his phone lit up or his laptop screen glowed with that teddy bear face.

Had he ever had such an appreciation for life before Dan?

His head still lost in the generously sunny clouds above, Phil almost walked right into the bus shelter. He managed to dance around it just in time, though, and took a grateful seat on the wooden bench.

He should have figured his poor legs wouldn’t be able to rest for long, though, as the black bus came rolling up just seconds later. (Dan would have appreciated the exterior.)

Everything hit Phil at once. One second, he was squeezing through the tiny doorway, the next, he was stumbling to a seat near the front and _on his way to meet Dan_.

Like, for real, this was _actually happening_.

To top it off, only a single girl of about uni age sat a few rows behind--although her face did light up a startling amount when he stepped onboard.

Phil was just pulling out his iPod when--“Excuse me, I’m sorry, I couldn’t help noticing--are you by any chance AmazingPhil from YouTube?”

Despite having passed the 70,000 subscriber mark, there was still something weird about being recognised in public. What was he supposed to say?

“Yeah, I am! You watch my videos?”

Was that too pretentious? Was his smile too forced? Couldn’t he just skip to the point where he meets Dan already and not have to deal with other people?

“Yes I do! Are those weird people stories all true? Because I can’t imagine there’d be that many characters around the Manchester area, unless I’m just not going outside enough…” Her heavily lined blue eyes harboured a genuine gleam, but Phil just wanted to get this conversation over with.

He still needed to work out what he wanted to do with Dan today, not to mention just what he would say to him, full stop. What did you say to someone who had travelled over three hours just to see _you_?

“Well, that would ruin the magic, wouldn’t it?” Phil offered a light giggle. “But no, some of them are a bit exaggerated. I try to make my life a bit more interesting for you guys, just to get your minds off of your own for a bit, you know?”

The girl nodded so vigorously that her dark fringe flopped into her eyes. “Oh, yes. Well, thank you for making them because they’re certainly working! And, um...I don’t mean to pry or anything,” Phil stiffened just a bit, “but, well, I follow you on Twitter too and I have to ask--are you on your way to meet danisnotonfire?”

It was all Phil could do to keep the massive smile from stretching across his face. “Yeah. Yeah I am, actually. Did you watch his first video?”

“Oh yes! I’m really looking forward to more. I think his channel’s off to a fantastic start already! I hope you two have a nice time today too!”

Was that a knowing glint in her eye? How many social media platforms did this girl follow Phil on anyway?

“Good. I think he’d be glad to hear that! And thanks, I think it should be a nice day.” Phil fiddled with his headphones. Hopefully this girl could take a hint.

“Hope so!” she responded, untangling her own pair of black headphones from the pocket of her charcoal coat. Phil turned around, leaning back into the vinyl seat and resting his head against the cool window for a minute, breathing long and deep. Could the world stop spinning just for one second?

He pulled out his phone, the bright screen sending spots across his eyes. This would make a good tweet--and a nice text to Dan too, come to think of it.

It seemed as though Dan had beaten him to the punch, though. Or, more likely, he was still scrolling through Twitter bored out of his mind.

 **New tweet from @danisnotonfire:** though I dropped my pen so I can’t script any videos, fml.

 **@AmazingPhil:** @danisnotonfire borrow one off the business man xD

Phil had to bite his tongue to keep his giggles from escaping and filling up the empty bus. He knew the stuffy suited man beside Dan would no sooner lend him a pen than attend his and Phil’s wedding.

 _Um. Where did that come from?_ Phil shook his head and switched to typing out his own tweet before returning to his texts with Dan.

 **@AmazingPhil:** On a bus to manchester. The single other person recognizd me! Akward

 **Phil:** Girl on bus said she’s looking forward to new videos from you! No pressure or anything ;) ~~I mean they’re gonna be great regardless but~~

 **Dan:** u had to tell me that right when i dropped my pen didn’t you

 **Phil:** Well that just means I can help you brainstorm! Don’t forget the Q+A vid on my channel too! ~~Hope you’re prepared for catfacepenrape o.o~~

 **Dan:** omgeezers that’s right i get to be on THE amazingphil’s channel!!!11 to what do i owe the honour?

Was it just Phil or did the bus burst into flames--specifically around his face?

 **Phil:** ~~Keep at it and there won’t be a vid for you to guest in~~ ~~Nothing if you’re not careful~~ Hmmmm...my unending ~~love~~  generosity I suppose?

 **Dan:** wow thanks

 **Dan:** i swear england is just the same twisty road over and over. remind me again why reading and manchester have to be so far apart?

Dan always knew just how to squeeze Phil’s heart just to the point of bursting. Three and a half hours was an awful long time to remain in the same seat, especially when your legs were as long as Dan’s. Not for the first time did Phil wish he could take the brunt of the marathon train journey--but he was the one whose parents were away, not Dan, and from the looks of it, Dan needed this escape.

Manchester’s suburbs whizzed by, a mural of green, grey, and brown, a route Phil had pretty much memorised by now. If it wasn’t for Dan’s constant texts keeping him on his toes he’d probably be snoozing. (Quite expectedly, his brain had refused to shut up last night. It had gotten so bad that he had to make himself two late-night snacks. It was a wonder he was even awake at all right now.)

Soon enough, though, the motorways and foliage melted into skyscrapers and window-covered buildings, sunlight radiating in such a way that the glass seemed to sparkle. Suited city workers lined the pavements, one man dabbing at his crisp white shirt in a way Phil could see himself doing in a few years. Anticipation rose in his chest like nothing he had felt before. Dan’s train may not be due for another forty minutes, but for the snakes (or was it the dragon?) twisting around in his gut, Phil may as well have been hopping off and meeting him right that second.

_Phil, you idiot. You’ve got to get it together. You know Manchester, you know Dan. You’re just putting the two together. Not that hard._

Why had he suggested Dan stay for three whole days? Surely they’d run out of things to do long before his departure. What then?

Well, there was always the tried and true method of pulling out a video game. Phil hadn’t had to do that since primary school, though. He knew Dan shared his taste in games but he wouldn’t want to spend his precious time playing Bubble Bobble, would he?

Had Phil planned enough for today? Was he well-versed enough to act as a tour guide? Dan would appreciate a nice Starbucks visit after that never ending train, wouldn’t he? Maybe they could even pop by the Apple store to post something to Dailybooth before heading to Manchester’s best-kept secret--the Hilton Sky Lounge, complete with the floor-to-ceiling windows of Phil’s dreams.

But what if he actually planned too much? Would Dan just want to sleep after such a long day?

Before he could question all of his plans from the past four months, though, the bus pulled up to its blessed final stop, clouds obscuring the dime-a-dozen brown brick buildings beside him.

Striding down the twisty British roads, Phil nodded a quick goodbye to the girl he had shared the empty bus with and pulled in a deep breath. A smile slipped onto his face as he slid his phone from his pocket.

Dan was nothing to be afraid of! Their Skype calls, growing ever more frequent in the last few days, had told him that, along with the texts that took up far too much of Phil’s phone storage.

He arrived at the train station with a half hour to spare. For a second, Phil considered stopping by one of the shops for a small gift but shook his head. They were heading straight for his favourite Starbucks once Dan was ready--if Phil ever stopped hugging him, anyway.

Dan’s train was to arrive on Platform 7, the black board told him. If Phil headed right over, he might be able to catch a seat on the bench. No way was he standing for thirty minutes.

The time passed slowly and quickly all at once, Phil’s leg jiggling more and more with the rattle of each train and the thundering of hundreds of footsteps. He fiddled around with his phone for a bit in between texts but the battery was already running low, so he eventually put it away and chose to develop little stories for the passersby instead.

Somehow, though, they all seemed to end up in reuniting with an old friend or meeting a long-distance lover.

And then. And then, finally, in rolled a blue-and-white train right in front of Phil and he couldn’t help it, he just had to jump to his feet and dart his eyes down the cars--man, were trains _long_ \--as his hands flew to his face without thinking.

In seconds, Dan would be stepping off that locomotive, weaving his way through the crowd and (well, hopefully anyway) into Phil’s arms.

Was Phil ready?

The snakes twisting around his heart and stomach filled him with a resounding _no_. Apparently twelve days hadn’t come close to preparing him for this sort of thing.

Taking his first look around the platform since sitting down, Phil noticed with a slight jump that he was the only one standing there. Well, maybe this would make it easier for Dan to find him.

What was Dan wearing today again? Oh, right--a black and white plaid shirt atop a white graphic tee and black jeans--or exactly what the hunched figure heading Phil’s way appeared to be wearing right now.

Time stopped. Phil felt like he was in a movie scene, watching everything unfold from far away.

And then…

Dan was here, right here, right in front of him, and Phil could have done backflips across the tiny platform, he felt so much.

For a moment, he just stood there, smiling the goofiest smile, then wrapped his arms tight around Dan’s lanky form, almost the same height as Phil if it wasn’t for his horrendous posture.

Having Dan in his arms like this was the closest Phil had come to achieving heavenly bliss.

Phil would have been perfectly fine with staying here until the end of time, but of course, Dan had to peel away first. Without Dan’s soft flannel to run his fingers over, and with far too much energy to flop them down at his sides, Phil’s hands moved all on their own, curling into claws and scratching Dan’s shoulders with the softest of touches.

His teeth snapped in an attempt to control the over excited chattering, his heart was about to burst from his chest and Phil was internally screaming at himself, sure he was freaking Dan out, but Dan was smiling.

Dan was smiling and giggling and bowing his head and oh _god,_ did his smile look gorgeous in person. It lit the entire dark tunnel and the next block over. Heck, it could even power the whole of Manchester at Christmas time.

“Awrf. I mean--Dan. You’re real. No--I mean--you’re not just a face on a computer screen anymore. Not that I thought you were a sixty-year-old man in his basement--oh god, I’m sorry. This went a lot better in my head.” Giggles tumbled out of Phil’s mouth as the words spilled faster than his brain could process the whole situation.

“Phil.” Dan laid a hand on his arm. Phil swore his heart stopped beating.

“It’s fine. You’re fine. Better than fine, really,” he added in an undertone. “It’s kinda surreal for me too, seeing the guy behind the videos.”  He hesitated.

“But anyway, what’s this big Manchester adventure you’ve been hyping me up for? Don’t leave me hanging, Lester.”

Oh. Oh yeah.

Those plans to show Dan around Manchester felt like they were made by someone else, and were soon replaced with the idea of retreating to that bench with Dan held tight in his arms, lying there forever without anyone noticing.

“Oh yeah! Well, let’s get out of here first. I mean, it’s not that special, it’s really just like any other train station. I was thinking we could head to Starbucks first? Three hours on a train really works up an appetite, I would think.”

“Starbucks sounds perfect. Lead the way, tour guide Phil.”

Phil’s stomach jumped with every step. His brain zoomed around and around the massive station. His hands itched to grab Dan’s arm or his hand or something to keep him close amongst the flood of people, but would that be weird? Was Dan the kind of person who shied away from physical contact? How had this topic never come up in their Skype calls before?

His hands stretched before him, a higher than usual voice pointed out the shops they passed with constant glances to gauge Dan’s reaction. This was stupid; Dan knew what Sainsbury’s looked like, and a ticket station.

Still, Dan’s head swiveled everywhere with a wide-eyed gaze that was almost too adorable for Phil to bear.

Was it just the influx of commuters, or was it Dan’s intention to bump into Phil every few seconds? His fingers burned to wrap themselves around Dan’s own at the slightest touch but Phil kept his left hand staunchly at his side. The last thing he wanted was to freak Dan out.

“After you, sir,” Phil intoned, holding the big glass door out wide for Dan with a flourish. Nervous chuckles tumbled from both their mouths.

“Well, Phil. Should have known you’re the gentleman type, really.” Was that a blush colouring Dan’s cheeks as he stepped up to the second door to mimic Phil’s movements?

The wind hit them both before Phil had a chance to reply. Dan just tugged at his flannel, wrapping it tighter around his soft middle.

Phil masked the tear growing in his chest by putting on his best pompous tour guide voice. “So, Dan. Welcome to Manchester, the only city that can manage to look straight out of 1962 and 2047 at the same time. Or the only city I’ve seen, anyway. Come to think of it, this isn’t much different from Reading, is it? Anyway, Starbucks is just down the road here, it’ll only take a couple minutes.”

Dan still had the expression of an enchanted child, though, much to Phil’s delight.

“Are you kidding me? Reading is a shithole compared to this! I mean, alright, it’s gotten a bit better recently but I still feel like I’ve fallen through a wormhole straight to 1802 every time I go downtown. Manchester is awesome, though! I think I could actually see myself living here.”

_Don’t. Don’t even think about it._

Phil’s heart had a mind of its own, though, and jumped at the prospect anyway.

Maybe it was the nervous energy propelling his legs, or perhaps it was the instinctual desire to remove himself from this biting wind, but either way, Phil and Dan had soon reached the curved black Starbucks faster than Phil could have predicted.

“Um, Phil. I think you failed to mention that Manchester is home to the coolest Starbucks _ever_ ? Like, forget a Manchester apartment, I could actually live _here_.”

Phil just giggled as they stepped into a welcome embrace of central heating and sharp caffeine. A few business people milled about, no one paying the slightest attention to the two boys except for the young barista who glanced up from his counter cleaning with a start.

Phil wasn’t becoming _this_ well-known, was he?

A knot loosened in his stomach at the sight of the empty sofa waiting in the back corner. Most of the tables were occupied, as well as the half-bar at the front, which Phil hadn’t taken as a good sign.

But maybe the world was looking out for them today after all.

Phil stopped a few feet behind the counter to turn his bouncing feet over to Dan. “So, Dan. I don’t know if you’ve been introduced to the wonders of the caramel macchiato yet, but if not, I pro--we’re doing something about it. My treat, of course.”

Imagine if Phil said _I propose_ the very day he was meeting Dan for the first time. He had to get it together.

“Hmmm, those _are_ pretty high up there. I’m more of a mocha person myself, but, well, I wouldn’t say no to a little something different.” Dan’s voice was playful until he fixed his gaze on Phil and added, “I can pay for myself, though.”

Phil’s voice was equally hard when he countered, “ _Dan_. You spent all this money on a train ticket to visit me here, where you’re my _guest_. The least I can do is buy you a coffee. Please?”

They stared each other down, Phil’s heart just dying to break free from his prison of a chest, until a corner of Dan’s lips twitched up and he gave himself over to a wave of giggles.

“Alright. Alright fine, Phil. I really can’t argue with that. Go nuts.”

Phil stepped up to the counter, a satisfied smirk on his lips, and ordered two caramel macchiatos, snatching up a couple chocolate chip cookies too with a surge of confidence that felt foreign even to him. “For Phil and Dan,” he added before paying and pulling out his phone to send a quick tweet.

 **@AmazingPhil:** In starbucks with dan :]

It wasn’t much but it still sent a thrill through him anyway to let the world know this was finally happening. Smiling to himself, he pocketed the device and turned on his heel back to the couch.

Before he could second guess himself, Phil gripped Dan’s wrist, his hand sliding down not-so-accidentally until their fingers met.

Dan’s lips parted for the briefest of seconds. His hand was equal parts soft and rough, palm warm against Phil’s. It was perfection, to say the least.

It seemed like they had just sat down when the barista lazily called their names. Phil jumped up to retrieve the drinks, throwing out a hand when Dan made to push himself up too.

A strange sort of explosion was going on in his stomach, almost like a baby kicking, desperate for release. The cosy back corner, just a bit dimmer than the rest of the shop, complete with wisps of acoustic guitar-driven music drifting by, gave off every semblance of a coffee date.

Especially when you added in the way Dan shifted ever closer as Phil sat down.

“So, I guess I can’t ask you how your train journey went, Mr. Texty Fire. What about last night, though? Are you sure everything’s fine at home?”

Dan tilted his drink back far too fast, gasping a little and jerking the foam cup back so that a couple drops splashed onto his black jeans. “Well, honestly--no, not really,” he replied, wrist shaking just a little as he slid his cup back onto the table.

It took everything Phil had not to grab Dan’s hands in his own. If he did, he didn’t think he’d ever let go.

“Is it something you can tell me?”

“It’s just...the stupid fight with my dad last night. I dunno, I’m just really afraid to come home on Thursday. The last time I blew up at him like that...I wouldn’t be surprised if he kicked me out, honestly.”

“ _Dan._ ” Phil knew all about the explosion the previous day. His heart fell out of his chest when he saw the blood in Dan’s tweet. Thankfully it was just the knife that slipped from his hands while he was attempting to make dinner but what if one day it wasn’t an accident, and Phil wasn’t there in Wokingham to take him down from the edge?

It felt like that same knife had pierced his stomach when he realised that Mr. Howell had a bit of a point--no matter how well Dan knew him, there was no denying the facts.

Hopping on a three hour train to meet someone four years his senior for the first time, then staying with that person for three whole days?

From an outsider’s perspective, Phil could understand how it sounded like a recipe for murder.

Dan had flipped from punching his pillow to choking back tears, every second agony for Phil stuck behind his computer screen. It wasn’t _fair_.

Phil should have been there, showing Dan’s parents how unthreatening he was, swiping Dan’s hair from his forehead and kissing away each drop that leaked onto his cheeks.

“He’s your _father_ ,” Phil continued, pulling his mind back to Starbucks. “You told him how harmless I am, right?”

Dan hummed. He still didn’t meet Phil’s eyes.

“So he can’t kick you out just for meeting me. You’re an adult. You’re allowed to make your own decisions. And I happen to be quite glad you made this one.” Phil shifted into Dan ever so slightly, catching a hint of an upturned mouth before it flashed away.

Well, it was something.

“You know, that’s exactly what got him to agree with me, however begrudgingly. Somehow it sounds a lot nicer coming from you, though.”

They shared a soft smile then, Phil’s heart jumping at Dan’s lighter mood. His lips were so _pink_. And only inches away now…

But then Dan broke his gaze, tilting back a generous sip of his coffee. It reminded Phil of his own still untouched drink and he snatched it up, the steaming sweet melody now a bit flat on his tongue.

Phil shifted the subject to films then, sensing Dan’s closure of the previous topic. Phil had quite the collection at home, and assured Dan they’d make their way through each DVD--as well as his entire _Buffy_ box set. If Dan was going to be part of his life now, he had to have at least a basic knowledge of the second most important thing in Phil’s life.

Their drinks emptied quickly and although Phil had no intention of getting up, he eventually donned his sunniest grin, jumped up, and stood before Dan.

“Hey, what do you think about hitting up some free wifi? I’m sure Dailybooth is just dying to see us together now, don’t you think?”

Dan agreed, and within a minute they were hit with a warm sun and a hundred cars whizzing past at once, creating a gentle chaos that felt like home to Phil.

It was a bit more of a hike to Manchester Arndale, but if anything, Phil loved that even more. The ache he was sure to get in his legs couldn’t even faze him now, not with Dan here. Northern English sun left him with a warm glow in his chest, one that he could instantly tell radiated deep in the boy beside him.

Talk flowed easily, just as it had in all the Skype and phone calls, banter bouncing between the two like they had known each other forever. In a way, Phil wondered if maybe they _did_.

All those parallel universes out there had to mean there was one where Dan made an earlier appearance, right?

“Ummmm, Phil? Isn’t the entrance right there?”

Phil tore his eyes away from Dan’s face and back to the road before him. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Hey, is there anywhere you wanna stop besides the Apple Store? We’ve got all afternoon, you know.”

“Honestly? Can we just go right to the computers? I’m kind of broke after those train tickets anyway.” Dan’s side-eyed glance showed Phil it didn’t really matter to him, though.

Phil could understand that. He’d throw his entire life savings on Dan in a second if he could. “Apple Store it is then, my--my friend!” Phil had to stop himself from saying “love.” Not yet.

What was getting into him?

Inside, the shopping centre was a flurry of well-dressed bodies, generic pop music, and flashy storefronts. Everywhere his eyes travelled held some kind of advert, or worse,  an actual human offering some useless free sample in a perfectly manicured hand.

Close enough for Phil to reach out and grab his hand if he wanted (and oh, did he want to), Dan perused the scene with a hint of a frown, even shaking his head a couple times.

“Alright, I know this is a shopping centre and all, and probably the biggest one in all of Manchester, but could they _be_ any more commercial? As if I would want to buy any of this shit, honestly.” Something like a smirk played on his lips even as his eyes rolled up to the high white ceiling, and Phil couldn’t help smiling back.

“Oh but you _know_ you want that pillow shaped like a bear, come on, Dan.” Phil pressed ever so slightly into Dan’s soft side, pointing out the stand of colourful children’s pillows in the middle of the lobby as a cover.

Dan’s dimples popped as he failed to bite back a grin. “No, _you_ want those football trainers, I know it, Phil.”

An endless stream of bubbles popped and fizzed somewhere between Phil’s chest and his belly as their little game continued until Dan broke away in pursuit of a scented candle stand halfway to the lifts.

That little shit.

Phil broke into a near-sprint, heated air whistling past his ears and heart pumping for reasons both completely and not at all related to the giggling boy just ahead of him.

If people were staring, Phil couldn’t find it in himself to care. The exhilaration was blinding.

“Caught you.” Phil’s lips grazed Dan’s ear, his hands wrapped close around Dan’s waist, a hint of forest pine playing at his nose--or maybe that was just the table beside them.

An entire film’s worth of emotions flashed inside Dan’s eyes.

Something that could only be pure elation was soon washed over by a hint of horror, which slid to a shaky grin. He broke away after just a few moments, leaving Phil feeling as though a bucket of ice had just poured over his head. He did his best to hide a pout.

“Well so you did,” Dan murmured, the sudden deepening of his voice tugging at Phil’s chest.

Leading Dan into the busy Apple Store sent Phil’s own film of emotions playing all at once inside his head and behind his heart. He tried to see this place, only a bit familiar to him, through Dan’s beautiful wide eyes. The sleek devices took on a new kind of glow, and even the strangers filling up almost every inch of open space seemed friendly for once.

Phil had his eyes set on one thing, though, and pulled Dan by his flannel sleeve to the display computers with a bounce in his stomach and a twanging in his heart.

“So. I know there’s a lot of people here so, like, we don’t have to pose special or anything like that. Just let people know we’re here and together and everything’s going well, you know?” Phil was bouncing on his toes again as he pulled up Photo Booth at the single open computer.

In a few minutes, thousands of people--and all Phil’s friends--would be seeing him together with the main source of his happiness for the past four months. Was he ready to share that with the world?

They took quite a few photos, Phil’s stomach clenching at each person who stepped behind them, wishing he could have all the time in the world to decide on the perfect image, but finally settling for one where they both looked pretty decent.

Well, Phil did anyway. The way that Dan was reaching up to fluff up his fringe?

That just shouldn’t be _allowed_.

He motioned for Dan to come a bit closer, see if he approved of Phil’s final selection, which he apparently did with something just short of a hyena laugh.

“Oh my god, I look like an absolute twat! But sure, Phil, if that’s the one you want, then go for it. At least you look incredible,” Dan remarked, his sarcasm softened by a smile.

Phil bit his lip at Dan’s smirk as blood rushed to his cheeks. He said nothing, though, choosing instead to pull up Dailybooth and step aside to allow Dan to sign in. He had no idea what to put as a caption anyway. A million less than 3 emoticons?

“Dan. You say you’re not going to write a million paragraphs yet that took you a solid five minutes at _least_ to type out.”

“I can’t help it if I’m indecisive!” Dan whined, sticking out his bottom lip. It was hard to decide whether Phil wanted more to poke it or smash his own lips against it. It wasn’t _fair._

Finally it was Phil’s turn to log into his own Dailybooth. He could feel everyone behind him breathing all down his neck, hot and heavy, until everything felt a jumbled up mess in his brain and he captioned the same photo with a simple two words: “omg @danisnotonfire”, then tweeted the newly posted link.

Some things, Phil decided, were just for himself.

“Let’s blow this joint, hey?” Phil asked in his best (but still horrible) American accent.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Dan smiled.

Was it just the harsh fluorescent lighting or did the glimmer in his eyes suggest something...else?

“So what’s next on the Phil Lester tour de Manchester?” Dan bumped his hip against Phil’s as they rejoined the stream of chatty shoppers, the tiny patch of skin poking beneath Phil’s shirt setting ablaze.

Now it was Phil’s turn to bite back a grin. He knew what he _hoped_ was next. Would the hint travel through that thick skull of Dan’s, though?

“Weeeeelllll,” he started, drawing his voice out like he did in his videos, “Just outside here is actually the famous Wheel of Manchester, which is kinda sorta one of my favourite places. I mean, we don’t have to go on if you don’t want to, but, well, I know you said you like pretty views and all--”

“Phil.” Dan cut him off with a sharp tone that rivaled his even harder stare. “I would _love_ to.”

One step into the autumn air and Phil knew he had timed this exactly right. The sun had moved low in the sky now, not quite setting but still casting a yellowish light that made the leaves glow even brighter shades of gold and red behind the sleek, window-covered buildings, like Manchester was putting on a show just for them.

In the short time they’d spent together in person, Dan had become as unapproachable as a stranger as the clarity of what Phil really (really, _really_ ) wanted to do grew more real to him.

Dan was just so, _so_ beautiful, from the sweep of his fringe to the slight springiness of his feet as he walked beside Phil with his head tilted to the sky, taking in all of the city. There was nothing he wanted more than to kiss Dan’s round little cheek, or even those wonderful lips, but there were still so many people on the surrounding streets. So Phil settled for just slipping his hand into Dan’s. He did love the way their fingers curled so seamlessly around each other.

It became much easier to look at Dan now that Phil had a literal hold on him. It broke Phil’s heart just a little to find him battling between a smile and the curtains that were rapidly drawing across his face.

Had the real Phil alienated Dan already? Was he already wishing to go back to their Skype messages, their texts, turning Phil back into the highly idealised person who lived in Dan’s head? Was everything moving too fast for him?

Maybe he wasn’t yet comfortable with holding hands in public.

As much as it tore him apart, Phil slid his hand from Dan’s and rested it back on his messenger bag. Dan’s fingers made a sad little wiggling motion before settling back at his own side. Phil resolved not to let it get to his head, though. Dan would loosen up once he caught his first glimpse of those incredible views.

Right?

It was a blessing to approach the ticket booth and find only a small group of people milling about nearby. Tendrils of smoke from a nearby taco truck tickled Phil’s nostrils but his stomach was jumping far too much to even consider food right now. Stretching out his hand to stop Dan’s protestations in their tracks, Phil paid for the two tickets and led Dan over to a bench before the slowly rotating wheel.

Conversation was suddenly impossible to start. “So, how are you liking Manchester so far?”

The words sounded forced even to Phil, but Dan smiled anyway.

“Honestly? I’ve been to Morocco, I’ve been to Italy, I’ve seen London more times than I can count, but Manchester takes the cake any day. I’m serious, Phil!”

“This old place? Really, Dan? You know, I’m gonna have to take you someplace even cooler next time. Need to up my stakes.”

“I mean, I’m fine with anywhere as long as you’re there.” Was it just a trick of the waning light, or did a patch of skin beside Dan’s right jaw glow scarlet?.

They shared a secret smile then, Phil inching closer and closer until their denim-clad legs were touching, Phil’s head mere centimetres away from resting against Dan’s shoulder when the wheel slowed to a gentle stop and couples and families alike surged forward. It took all his strength but after a few seconds, Phil raised himself off the bench and held a hand out for Dan too.

Dan took it, fingers once again making a home amongst Phil’s, if only for a few glorious seconds.

Within a minute, they had settled into a snowy white pod, floor to ceiling glass surrounding them for the perfect, uninhibited view. A sudden tension gripped Phil just as the wheel stuttered into a gradual glide.

This was the most intimate place he and Dan had ever inhabited. The glass walls seemed to be drawing in on them, pushing them ever closer, pushing Phil’s lungs and heart and stomach into his throat. Looking at Dan was like looking straight into the sun, so Phil turned his face to the rapidly approaching sky before them.

“Phil?”

“Yeah?”

“I just,” Dan pulled in a shaky breath, sliding his hand into Phil’s and leaving it there this time, “I just want to say thank you. For everything today. And the past four months. You--god, this sounds so cheesy and disgusting, but you honestly don’t know how much this day means to me. I...thank you, Phil.”

The edges of Dan’s face had softened, giving him an even more youthful glow. His nose crinkled in surprise at the view, making him look like a teddy bear.

It was so damn adorable, Phil could just grab his face and kiss him right now.

Dan finally pulled his gaze from the windows back to Phil, his eyes still full of wonder, with the hint of a question buried deep inside.

His face was close, so close that Phil could smell the caramel macchiato on his breath, his pink lips just plump and inviting enough to send Phil’s heart rocketing against his chest, begging for release, until…

In the briefest of seconds, Dan sealed the distance between them with the softest of brushes against Phil’s lips. Eyes pulled wide like an anime character’s soon squeezed closed as Phil gave himself over to the pleasure of it all, pulling Dan closer, reveling in the softness of his back and lips and _everything_ , throwing all the emotion into the kiss that he had been dying to express for the past four months.

Everything in Phil’s head was screaming _Dandandandandan_ , his heart flipping over and over in a new and unfamiliar way. An orchestra played in his head, something from _Final Fantasy_ (was it 7? It had to be, that was all Phil could think about now), sending his stomach swooping as the smell and taste of his favourite Starbucks drink filled his senses, leaving something to explode deep in his chest.

“Hi,” Dan giggled once they finally broke apart. His face was flushed and a few hairs stuck out above his fringe. Phil pushed them down whilst biting back a cheek-numbing smile, fighting the urge to pull Dan back into him, close.

“Hi,” Phil whispered back, finally taking his chance to rest his head on Dan’s shoulder and appreciate the view before him.

Had the sky grown brighter in the last minute? Everything, from the puffy clouds beside them, to the trees skirting the edges of the city centre, glowed far more vividly than Phil had ever seen it. Even the crisp autumn air took on a sweeter scent, tickling his nose and filling him with a kind of joy previously foreign to him.

If this was what being in love was like, then Phil never wanted to return to the ground.

But return they did, the trip back down spent in a long but comfortable silence, occasionally peppered by kisses atop heads, shoulders and hips bumping together as they stumbled off the pod with barely concealed grins of pure bliss.

“So, Phil.” Dan was the first to speak, giggles interjecting themselves between his words. “What could you possibly have planned to top this?”

Phil’s smile stretched so wide, he felt sure his cheeks would snap off. “Well, if you liked the views from here, I think you’re going to love this. Come on, we’ve gotta catch the tram before it gets too dark.”

Splatters of pink and purple had begun to line the sky. Phil grabbed Dan’s hand with a courage he hadn’t had all day.

Dan picked up his pace, curling his body deliciously against Phil’s until there wasn’t so much as a millimetre gap between them.

Something had ignited in both of them the moment Dan’s lips had touched his, the final gap of uncertainty sliding closed as true feelings were confirmed. Unanswered questions held little significance to the ones that were answered by the simple act of a kiss.

Who knew one action could hold such significance?

If Phil were to look back on this day in the future (and lord, did he), one image shone before all the rest: Dan’s face, silhouetted against the mural of blue and gold and rose-tinted sky, lips  slightly parted and eyes travelling everywhere from the tops of the tallest buildings to all the taxis zooming past, all the way to the cobbled pavement below. Manchester took on a new glow through Dan’s perspective, tiny details Phil had never noticed now coming alive before him, like the flurry of red and black feathers swooping past, or the tiny gold and brown leaves flitting down from the skinny trees planted here and there along the pavement.

Was Manchester always this beautiful? Or did Dan just make it this way?

“Dan,” Phil took on a regal air upon clattering back down to the bustling city streets, extending his palm to the eyebrow-quirked boy beside him, “may I present my personal pride and joy, the crown jewel of the city if you will--Manchester’s premier hotel and skybar.”

Within minutes, they had reached a blue and silver skyscraper, its floor to ceiling windows the object of Phil’s dreams, the massive exterior appearing straight out of 2083.

If anything, the inside was even prettier. Chandeliers gleamed in the soft light bouncing off the ceiling. A long white counter stretched out behind them, a sleepy concierge leaning against the flower-covered surface, but Phil led Dan straight to the gold lifts at the end of the lobby.

He adored the way Dan’s jaw dropped, the Wokingham native coming _thisclose_ to spinning around and around to absorb the full scene.

“You think this is cool?” Phil asked. “Just wait till we get up top.”

The thrill dancing up Dan’s face was enough to send Phil’s heart rocketing straight to the moon.

With just the two of them in the lift, Phil was finding it near impossible to keep his hands, his mouth, his entire being off of Dan. Somehow he managed, but just barely.

However, nothing could prepare Phil for Dan’s expression of pure joy when they entered the skybar. Yes, it was the same look of wonder he’d had all day, but now there was something _more_ . Something...perhaps even... _suggestive_.

All the laughter, the candlelight, and of course the spectacular setting sun out the windows created a symphony in Phil’s head that closely resembled the _Final Fantasy_ music he had discussed in such depth with the boy beside him. Even the frosted glass bar appeared to glow a little brighter just for them.

It was this frosted glass bar that Phil headed for, spine straighter than his sexuality had ever been, with a smile that rivaled the view before them.

With it being Monday evening and all, the bar was blessedly near empty, the only other inhabitants a random couple in their mid-forties and a businesswoman, all three of them at the far left end. Soft piano music and a candlelit glow only added to Phil’s blissed-out mood--and a single glance at Dan’s rosy patch was all the confirmation Phil needed to know that these feelings were reflected in the boy beside him.

“Good evening, sirs. May I interest either of you in--oh!” A flurry of thick paper scattered from the bartender’s hands all over the floor. The guy wasn’t much older than Phil, his dark brown hair gelled up in perfect spikes and crisp white shirt coming just a bit untucked from his black trousers. He straightened up after a minute with a deep flush to his pale skin. “So--so sorry about that. May I, um, interest either of you in a menu?”

To his left, Phil found Dan biting hard on his lip, cheeks puffed out and eyes full of mirth. It took everything in him not to burst out laughing too.

“Yes, thank you,” Phil replied, sending a sharp kick to Dan’s foot whilst gingerly pulling a couple menus from the bartender’s reddening fingers and handing one to Dan in one smooth motion.

Phil already knew what he’d be ordering, of course, so he humoured himself by stealing quick glances at the boy beside him to watch the way his eyes trailed over the menu, bugging out at the bottom before shooting back up to the top with a soft blush across his cheeks.

The space between their stools seemed to stretch for miles.

“Know what you want?” Dan murmured, the softness of his tone crawling under and settling itself deep in Phil’s skin like a dog curling up on a fuzzy rug.

Phil nodded, waving the barman over to order their drinks. He nearly tripped over his own feet again, the poor guy.

“A--alright, yeah, those will be coming right up,” he stuttered. Phil’s heart went out to him just a little. That could just as easily have been him had he never discovered YouTube.

Speaking of YouTube...this guy would make a fantastic story for his next video! Well, if he were divulging the details of these three days, which he never would. He pulled out his phone instead.

 **@AmazingPhil:** We are in a sky scraper with an akward bar man

His finger hovered over the “tweet” button, part of him just dying to tell the world his true feelings, but choosing to leave it at that.

It struck him again that some things were just for them.

Like the sunset right before their eyes, a mural of pinks and purples and oranges and deep blues, every colour running into each other to create nature’s masterpiece, a spectacular showing of light for the two of them, and them alone.

The few other people at the bar melted away as Phil’s foot tapped against Dan’s before he twisted their ankles together for just a second. Their fingers were mere centimetres away when two drinks as bright as the sky outside slid across the bar, almost slipping right off the sparkling silver surface before both boys caught the long necks just in time. The barman stuttered out an apology, but Phil just waved him off with a soft smile before turning back to Dan.

“To first meetings... _finally_ ,” Phil said, holding his glass out to Dan with a smile wide enough to cross the distance between Wokingham and Rawtenstall and back again.

“To the first day of the rest of our lives,” Dan replied, clinking his glass against Phil’s. His smile was bigger than Phil had ever seen it, and it sent his heart singing just like the melody of sweet and sharp and sugary that danced along his tongue and slithered down his throat.

“Uhhhhhhhhhh.”

The moan dripping from Dan’s lips made Phil’s pants tighten and a heat rush through his entire body. What he wouldn’t _do_ for those few other people to disappear so he could do whatever he wanted to Dan—as long as he consented, of course.

But Phil had a feeling he wouldn’t have any trouble obtaining that tonight.

“I love this mimosa more than I’ve loved this entire day,” Dan sighed.

Phil blinked, then felt a warm trickle start in his heart and flow into the very marrow of his bones. Was it too much to kiss Dan now?

“I love this cocktail more than I love--more than I love Lion,” Phil countered.

He had to stop himself from saying “more than I love you”. Yes, he’d known it for months now but surely it was too much for the first day they’d met in real life?

Right?

Dan cocked his eyebrows, his eyes softening like melted chocolate. “I love this drink more than I love this incredible view.” A light flicked on behind his eyes then as he pulled out his phone and started typing with the speed of a hummingbird’s wings.

A few seconds later, Phil’s own phone lit up.

 **New tweet from @danisnotonfire:** me and @amazingphil are in the sky bar in the Hilton hotel :] incredible view.. and the sun is beginning to set :)

The quick brush of his fingers along Phil’s made his lungs ache. He kinda liked it, though.

The evening slipped by in a symphony of soft smiles and strands of piano music curling around their ears and landing gently in Phil’s head. Each sip of his drink helped to create a mild buzz that unraveled his nerves in the sweetest way. He was almost sad to see the sky fade from gold to navy to a deep black--but not too much, as it just meant he was one step closer to having Dan all to himself, finally in his house.

Dan.

In his house.

In just under an hour, Phil’s two worlds would be colliding.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but the prospect suddenly felt far more sweet than scary. Near irresistible, in fact.

So he left some money for the bartender, along with a fairly generous tip, and nudged Dan to get up too. “If we’re quick, we can catch the next bus back to mine.”

“Alright,” Dan giggled, tucking his chin to his chest in a way that sent Phil’s heart into overdrive. The things that boy _did_ to him.

The fifty minute bus ride took no time at all with Dan there to whisper snide remarks about their few fellow passengers, intermixed with increasingly suggestive comments. The familiar route took on a new gleam from Dan’s eyes, every boring brown building appearing to get a new coat of paint just from the way Dan’s face rested inches from the windowpane, drinking in all of Manchester and the surrounding areas like he could never get enough.

Of course, he had to let his followers and friends know how the day had gone. So Phil pulled out his phone midway through the journey home to type out:

 **@AmazingPhil:** Had such a good day with dan! :] skybar is awesome

Dan leaned into him to peer over his shoulder as he was typing. Phil had to retype the tweet about five times thanks to the constant typos from his shaking fingers.

The electricity didn’t leave his veins the entire way home, in fact.

“Welcome to la palais de Lester,” Phil intoned once they finally reached his front door, faces flushed and huffing a bit from the steep hill. “I mean, it’s nothing exciting, but…”

“Are you kidding me, Phil? This is _the_ AmazingPhil house. My inner fanboy is screaming.”

Phil just shook his head, smiling.

The moment he stepped into the familiar hallway and flicked on the light, something shifted between them. A new energy flowed through the rapidly shrinking space between their bodies, the relief of finally, _finally_ being alone pulsing in Phil’s stomach.

His lips itched to attach to Dan’s again and never let go.

And then Dan had to go and ruin everything with a shout of laughter.

“ _This_ is the Lester house? It looks like it’s from 1902!”

Phil couldn’t be too mad, though. Not when Dan’s perfect giggle sent a whole new herd of butterflies flitting throughout his body. “Yeah, my parents are pretty old fashioned. You up for some late night films? I can make popcorn.”

“Have I mentioned you’re my favourite person?”

Phil could have melted right there in the front lounge.

“Oh yeah, you can put your stuff up in my room if you’d like. I’ll show you.” He took Dan’s hand and led him up the stairs.

“This is fucking surreal. Like, I know this room but I _don’t_ know this room. You literally have posters covering the entire ceiling. Could you be any more of a  _Buffy_ freak?”

Dan’s soft smile told Phil he didn’t mind, though. Not really.

“I’ve made up a bed for you, by the way. You can set your stuff down there if you’d like.” Phil gestured to the blue bedsheet-covered air mattress, where Dan proceeded to fling his bag as if it didn’t have his laptop and chargers in there.

“As if I’m gonna be needing that,” Dan muttered, so soft that Phil wasn’t sure if he heard him correctly.

A flash of heat flooded through him anyway.

Back downstairs, Phil had just settled into the couch and pressed play on _Kill Bill_ when he felt a gentle pressure on his left side.

Dan had cuddled up against him like a cat. Phil could get used to feeling Dan’s face against his shoulder, breaths soft and oh, so tantalising at his neck.

Phil wrapped his arms around Dan, pulling him ever closer until they had nearly congealed into one being, one mass of long legs and lanky arms and emo hair that sent a peace flowing through Phil like he had never felt before. He pressed his lips into Dan’s hair, loving the way Dan’s own lips curled up against his neck.

They remained like this for quite a while, the film quite forgotten about, Phil relishing in Dan Dan _Dan_ , still hardly believing any of this was real.

If only he could tell Phil of a week ago, even Phil of a few hours ago, just how good it would be. But then, wasn’t the anticipation half the fun anyhow?

They started a game of kissing at every gunshot, but each one grew longer and deeper until Phil trailed his lips down Dan’s chin and onto his neck, each tiny lick of skin leaving him wanting, no _needing_ more, needing to taste every bit of Dan.

A deep shiver ran through Dan’s entire body as he tightened his hands against Phil’s plaid shirt. Phil wanted to rip it off but he couldn’t detach himself from Dan’s neck just yet.

“Oh god, Phil. _God_. Yes, just…” A gasp sputtered out, Phil’s pants tightening. “Keep going, god _yes_.”

So he did. He did and he did and he did, until Dan’s lips moved to trailing rings of fire down Phil’s own face and neck, his droopy eyes finally sending a wave of sleepiness through Phil too. He didn’t even notice the credits rolling until Dan’s kisses slowed down and his body grew limp on the grey sofa.

“Come on, sleepyhead. I know you had an early train today. Time for bed?” Phil whispered, loving the way those last three words rolled off his tongue.

Dan allowed himself to be pulled up, draping himself around Phil like a rag doll and painting a soft smile onto Phil’s face.

Once in the blue and green room, Dan flopped unceremoniously onto Phil’s bed, rolling towards the wall and pulling the familiar duvet around him.

Phil just stood there, glancing between Dan and the air mattress, a soft smile twitching up his face as he bit his lip.

Dan made the decision for him. “Come closer,” he whimpered. His hands reached at the air quite pitifully.

Phil pulled off his shirt, crawling in beside Dan and luxuriating in the arms that wrapped around him and the beautiful bare chest that pressed against his back. The gentle thudding of Dan’s heart almost lulled him to sleep right then, but...one more thing.

Phil grabbed his phone from the nightstand, both desperately wanting to share his happiness with the world and knowing some things were just for him and Dan. He settled instead for a single strung-out word.

 **@AmazingPhil:** ahappyphil

ahappyphil _indeed._

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: @phloridas
> 
> Happy phaniversary one and all! <3


End file.
